Makes unauthorized impersonation of another person a
crime of the third degree.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

An Actconcerning impersonation on Internet websites or
by other electronic means and supplementing N.J.S.2C:1-1 et seq.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. Notwithstanding any
law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, any person who knowingly and
without express written consent, poses as another person through or on an
Internet website or by any other electronic means for the purpose of harming,
harassing, intimidating, threatening, or defrauding another person, through
transmission of oral or written statements, pictures, images, or any other
communication by electronic means, is guilty of a crime of the third degree if
another person would reasonably believe, or did reasonably believe, that the
subject of the impersonation was or is the person who was impersonated.

b. As used in this section,
“pose” means to falsely represent oneself, directly or indirectly, as another
person.

c. As used in this
section, “electronic means” shall include, but not be limited to, the opening
of an electronic mail account or the opening of an account or profile on a
social networking Internet website in another person’s name.

2. This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would make the
impersonation of another person on an Internet website or by any other
electronic means, a crime of the third degree if the person credibly poses as
another person without express written consent and if the impersonation is
intended to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten or defraud another person
through the transmission of images, pictures, oral or written statements, or
any other communication by electronic means.

Under current law,
N.J.S.2C:21-17 prohibits impersonation of another person and imposes criminal
penalties if the impersonator obtains a monetary benefit or causes monetary
damages to another person as a result of posing as another person. This bill
provides that unauthorized impersonation of another person is a crime of the
third degree, whether or not there are monetary benefits to the impersonator or
monetary damages to the subject of the impersonation, if the impersonation is
intended to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten, or defraud another person.